I Should Read That

Book review

Julie is missing, and no one believes she will ever return-except Elise. Elise knows Julie better than anyone. She feels it in her bones that her best friend is out there and that one day Julie will come back.

She’s right. Two years to the day that Julie went missing, she reappears with no memory of where she’s been or what happened to her.

Along with Molly and Mae, their two close friends from college, the women decide to reunite at a remote inn. But the second Elise sees Julie, she knows something is wrong-she’s emaciated, with sallow skin and odd appetites. And as the weekend unfurls, it becomes impossible to deny that the Julie who vanished two years ago is not the same Julie who came back. But then who-or what-is she?

Rachel Harrison has quickly become one of my absolute favourite authors. Her particular brand of female-focused horror struck a cord with me when I read Such Sharp Teeth and I’ve never looked back. While I had read a good portion of her backlist, I knew I had to dig into her debut, The Return.

As someone who 1) has a close group of four girlfriends from college (although we have our shit together much more than these ladies do) and 2) has suffered the sudden loss of a beloved friend when they were far too young, this book hit me hard. I’ve always loved how relatable Harrison’s books are, from horrible bachelorette parties and first dates to trying to reboot your life in your 20’s and 30’s, but The Return is the one that has resonated with me most. The way these friends interact and speak to each other rung more true than most books, even when things are going horribly wrong. The gals are varied and in different circumstances, but you can absolutely see why they were friends. Like many of Harrison’s lead characters, Elise is deeply flawed but still relatable and loveable. She has some serious issues, but I couldn’t help but root for her.

And let’s not forget the horror aspects of this book. Harrison does a fantastic job of creating a sense of creeping dread that permeates the narrative, both through the setting and Elise’s observations. She doesn’t skimp on the horror, and The Return is a fantastic example of the genre.

Harrison’s debut was fabulously funny, sad, and haunting. I’d highly recommend it to both horror veterans and those looking to dip a toe into the genre.